Four newborns die in Chhattisgarh hospital

The deaths occurred between 5.30 a.m. and 8.30 a.m. at the Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) in Ambikapur, said the District Collector

BJP workers demand the resignation of Health Minister T.S. Singh Deo after the death of the newborns. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

In an alleged case of medical negligence, four newborn babies died in the special neonatal care unit (SNCU) of a government hospital in Surguja district of Chhattisgarh on Monday.

While the parents of the deceased have alleged that a power interruption caused the deaths, the government has prima facie ruled out the possibility and has ordered a probe to “investigate all angles including electrical problems”.

The deaths occurred between 5.30 a.m. and 8.30 a.m. at the Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) in Ambikapur, around 300 km from Raipur, collector Kundan Kumar told reporters.

Gaurav Kumar Singh, a resident of mining colony at Vishrampur, whose newborn daughter [born on December 1 and one of the two babies who was on ventilator support] was one of the deceased, told reporters that there was a power interruption and it caused the deaths.   

“There was no arrangement for a generator in the hospital and it was around that time when the condition of my daughter started deteriorating. Around 4 a.m., she had further breathing trouble and at 6 a.m. we were told that she had died. I do not remember exactly when the power supply was interrupted, but the condition of many children had deteriorated and the mothers were told to wrap them with a shawl to keep them warm,” said Mr. Singh.

Even as the administration said that at least 30 to 35 children are undergoing treatment in the SNCU, several parents echoed the claims of Mr. Singh and further added that they were forced to use mobile phones to keep the children warm.

GMCH Medical College Dean Dr. R. Murthy denied these allegations. “It’s true that there was a problem of electricity but it cannot be directly linked to the malfunctioning of the ventilator or the deaths. Among the other children who were on ventilator, four of them are still alive and they are being treated according to the standard operating procedures of the SNCU,” he said. He added that there was power back up in the form of a diesel generator set and an UPS.

However, when pressed further by journalists about the ambit of the probe, Dr. Murthy said that even electrical fault would be investigated. “We will probe if there was any laxity in treatment. If there was a power-related issue, it is a technical problem … with the help of our engineering department, we will look into whether if there was any problem with the panel,” he said.  

Meanwhile, State Health Minister T.S. Singh Deo has directed the Health Secretary to constitute a team to probe the incident.

“After learning about the death of four infants in the Ambikapur Medical College Hospital, I have asked the Secretary to constitute a probe team and send it to the spot for an enquiry. I have also apprised Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel,” Mr. Singh Deo said in a video statement.